Absences mean Blue Devils rethink roles at safety, kick returner

DURHAM — The plan going into the open week was for Duke’s football team to have some of its injured defenders back for Saturday’s game against visiting Navy.

Instead, that went in another direction and there are some new holes on special teams, too.

Coach David Cutcliffe suspended sophomore safety Deondre Singleton for one game because he missed academic obligations last week. That’s coupled with the apparent loss of receiver and return specialist Johnell Barnes, who suffered a broken hand in a nightclub altercation.

Duke (3-2), which hasn’t played since Sept. 28, could have linebacker Kelby Brown back from an injury that forced him to miss the victory against Troy.

The lack of availability of a couple of players won’t put the Blue Devils off track, Cutcliffe said.